Practicality
by TASHAx
Summary: She was practical and wore flat, plain shoes, no make up and only a thin golden chain about her neck boring, plain and practical. One Shot.


**Practicality**

Hermione Granger was now Head Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was a pretty girl, her hair was nowadays sleek and generally tied up in a bun, thanks to the use of quills for keeping it in place, she was practical and wore flat, plain shoes, no make up and only a thin golden chain about her neck -- boring, plain and practical. She also knew how to perform all the practical little task - she could cook, sew, bandage and clean wounds, create a fire without the use of her wand, swim, bike ride, had been learning to drive a car, had passed her Apparation test, could check cauldrons for safety and thickness - thanks to Percy -- she was a sensible, practical girl…most of the time.

However, currently, her normally flawless mane was wavy and curling slightly, her eyes were glassy bright and clothes undone, crumpled and looking like they belonged to Ron more than Hermione - she had lost a lot of weight these past four weeks, NEWTs were killing her and they weren't due to begin for another three months. Having to escape the stuffy, over-crowded and over noisy Common Room, she had allowed her feet to wander her through the castle, not really paying much attention to where she was heading and thinking absentmindedly that if she weren't so damn restless the library could have been a good idea.

"_Get in, _you little bugger!" the sound of a frustrated, angry voice cut through her concentration. _What in the name of Circe?_

Looking about her, the seventh year Gryffindor realised, with a slight start, she was in the cold and draughty dungeons, Slytherin territory and though not afraid of Slytherins she wasn't one to deliberately provoke them either. Doubling back slightly she head the same aggravated tones emitting from a wooden door that had been left slightly ajar. Feeling more than a little apprehensive she slowly creaked the door open and before her sat Severus Snape, cross legged on his desk - that in itself a shock for Hermione - wearing black Muggle trousers and a black jumper.

But what surprised the Head Girl further was to see her Potions Masters distracted by a long length of string and a small silver sewing needle…it appeared he was wanting to sew something to his long black cloak but failing dismally. She cocked her head to the right a fraction, observing and analysing the sight before her, should she go and help her professor, who was obviously struggling, or walk away and lose the risk of being yelled at for being a know-it-all.

Hermione had just opted on leaving when, clearly sensing her presence, Severus turned and his large charcoal grey-black eyes fell up on her. He instantly flared up, his cheeks turning a soft shade of crimson.

"Ms Granger?" his voice was strained and slightly out of breath…he'd obviously been struggling quite hard with tat needle in thread. "What are you doing down here?"

She swallowed and allowed her eyes to look at the granite floor, obscuring her vision of his penetrating glare - she knew he was a skilled Legilimens and didn't want him to find out she'd been wandering about the castle because the pressure of exams was becoming too much for her, he'd only find a way to use it against her.

"I was just walking about the castle and I heard…noises in here, I thought someone was in trouble."

Snape looked slightly bashful, "Yes. Well, you thought you could play the hero again did you, Granger? _Honestly _one Heroic Golden-Child is enough around here." she knew he was talking about Harry, of course. Any excuse to bring Harry down and he would.

Hermione grip her hands into fists. "Yes sir…" she turned to leave but something compelled her to give him a little advice, "Oh, and Sir, if you lick the thread it should slip through the eye easier…"

Snape looked at her as if she'd suddenly started doing a rendition of Lord of the Dance in front of his eyes. "What? Eyes? Ms Granger have you been taking a Babbling Beverage?"

"No, Professor, I was just trying to…never mind…I'm leaving."

"Wait. Ms Granger…you're Head Girl and therefore are able to assist teachers. I need this patch sown to my robes…they're far to expensive and delicate to repair by magic. They were made by hand and so should be maintained in the same way."

It was the Head Girl's turn to gape now. Was he asking her to sew the patch to his robes…she could lie, say she had no idea how to do such things…

"I'm sorry I'm not very good at sewing…" it wasn't a complete lie, she really wasn't the best at sewing things up, though definitely not the worst either. And he could see through her as if she were wearing Harry's invisibility cloak.

"Ms Granger, I will award Gryffindor five points if you assist me in this endeavour…I am already late for a meeting and I need this sown to my robes before I leave."

Sensing the anger and irritation in his slightly raised tone Hermione nodded and motioned for the long haired man to put his robe on, she then picked up the patch - it was a piece of black cloth, light and fluid feeling, obviously to repair the damage done to his slightly torn robes he was wearing. The rip was on the breast of the robe, quite small but definitely noticeable, especially on the Professors usually immaculate attire. The room slumbered into silence.

She could eel his eyes burning into her as she licked the end of the thread and poked it through the small eye of the silver needle. On her second attempt it slipped lithely through and she tied it into a knot, before setting to work on the patch. Holding herself steady she placed her left hand upon his chest, shooting him a slightly apologetic stare, though he seemed not to have minded, while gently poking the needle in and out of the fabric.

It felt…odd, being this close to him, yet not wrong. His scent was like cinnamon and comforting and his breath felt cool, ticking her face each time he exhaled, a swish of minty air lifting the stray hairs off of her face every couple of minutes.

His dark eyes never left her concentrated face, he saw every blink of her eyes, every twitch of her nose and observed the way she bit the inside of her cheek when focussed on a particularly stubborn stitch. He supposed he shouldn't really have her touching his chest - supposed he shouldn't be enjoying it - supposed that maybe he could have given up and worn his other set of robes to the Order meeting, supposed that really he shouldn't have asked Hermione to be doing this at all. Supposing never did him any good.

"Finished." her clear voice sliced through his thoughts and he had to mentally shake himself, or perhaps he also physically shook himself as she was now cocking her eyebrow and giving him a very peculiar look.

"…right."

They were quiet for a second when suddenly - and later regrettably - glanced down at her hand which was still resting happily on his chest. She turned red and hastily removed the appendage, refusing to meet his glance…and yet she didn't back away, the closeness was still there…

"Professor, I thought you were late…"

He coughed loudly. "Yes. Late…er, thank you, Ms Granger." he mumbled slightly and hastily retreated from his place upon the desk. Glided across the room, however before he had exited he turned to face the brunette schoolgirl, still rooted to the spot and said "Ten points, Ms Granger."

"But, Sir, you said five…" her words weren't heard, however, as her potions professor had vanished, though the chamber still smelt of cinnamon. And suddenly Hermione was very glad she was a practical girl who knew how to perform all the practical little task - she could cook, _sew_, bandage and clean wounds, create a fire without the use of her wand, swim, bike ride, had been learning to drive a car, had passed her Apparation test, could check cauldrons for safety and thickness - thanks to Percy -- she was a sensible, practical girl…most of the time.

0x-

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the Characters, Names or Places…they belong to JK Rowling. Bow to her supremacy.

Reviews are sexy and make me gasm.

I am sorry but I will not be carryign this on - it is only a One Shot, however I will think about a full length HG/SS fic in the near future. If you liked this go check out my other hermione and Severus fic - Moving On

Tasha x


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